Reflections on Kuopio school attack five years later highlight ongoing safety concerns in Finland

Five years have passed since the tragic school attack in Kuopio, which shocked all of Finland. Heikki Helve, who has served as the director of the Savon Education Consortium since 2015, reflects on that day, stating it will never fade from the memories of those who experienced it. On October 1, 2019, a student at Savon Vocational College assaulted a classroom with a machete, resulting in one fatality and ten injuries, including the perpetrator.

At the time of the attack, the college was housed in temporary facilities within the Herman shopping center, while a new campus was still under planning. Following the event, significant emphasis was placed on safety measures in the campus design. Since 2022, the college has operated from its new location in Savilahti, which has incorporated numerous safety enhancements, such as multiple exits—at least two in every space—following challenges during the attack when students struggled to escape through a single door.

Visibility has also been prioritized; transparent glass walls facilitate monitoring of movement and activities within the spaces. In emergencies, privacy measures can be activated to obscure visibility.

Access between different areas of the institution is now restricted through electronic key cards linked to student IDs, while unrestricted entry is maintained in public areas where camera surveillance is in place. Staff are equipped with a mobile app for instant communication during emergencies, ensuring messages sound even if phones are silenced. Helve highlights that recent school safety incidents across Finland have reignited painful memories and emphasized the urgent need to address the underlying issues driving such desperate actions in society.